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Beluga Whales

Animals Know Our Stars Beluga Whales

The gentle, mysterious beluga whale is one of our park’s most sociable animals. Born dark grey, their signature white color is actually a clever camouflage belugas develop by maturity, allowing them to swim peacefully in the waters of their icy arctic homes.

Nicknamed “sea canaries” by mariners, belugas are often heard before seen thanks to their unmistakable birdlike songs. Instead of dorsal fins, they have a low dorsal ridge that lets them easily swim beneath thick ice sheets and find breathing holes; a pretty cool adaptation essential to life in one of the coldest regions of the globe.

SeaWorld is one of the few places on the planet where you can enter the water with these amazing animals and get to know one of the sea’s most charming inhabitants through our Beluga Interaction Program.

Q: Where are belugas found?
SW: They make their homes in the Arctic ocean and its adjoining seas, including the Bering Sea, the Gulf of Alaska and the Hudson Bay, among others.

Q: Are they endangered?
SW: In Alaska, about 375 beluga whales live in the northern part of Cook Inlet. Unfortunately, this population is listed as endangered due to its small size and lack of recovery from earlier hunting and other threats.

Q: What do they eat?
SW: Beluga whales eat about 100 different types of mainly bottom-dwelling animals like octopus, squid, crabs, snails, sandworms, and a variety of fishes.

Q: How big do they get?
SW: Males average around 11 to 15 feet long, females are only slightly smaller, averaging around 9.5 to 13 feet. They weigh an average of about 3,000 pounds.